Do you feel like you are just biding time right now? As we enter into our fourth week of New Zealand’s lock down, we await word today of our Government’s decision. Will we continue biding time until life can begin to return to normal? Or are we going to remain in lock down for a while longer?

Personally I’m ambivalent. Lock down for me hasn’t presented any problems. In fact, I’m embarrassed to say I’ve actually enjoyed the time. I have treated it like a holiday. I’ve read so many books I feel I’ve been in dreamland. My jigsaw building has hit a snag, though. I was silly enough to chose a scene of autumn colours, and manage to add only two or three pieces into place each time I sit down beside it.

At 4pm today Jacinda will front the television cameras to tell us our fate. Will New Zealand revert to Level 3, allowing a few businesses to reopen – if they can provide a “safe” working environment? Or will we continue in lock down to ensure we’ve beaten this virus?

Without being privy to all the scientific/medical data being studied right this minute by our leaders, I wonder if remaining in Level 4 for at least one more week would be wise. Even if many may be going stir crazy right now, we are generally accepting of the lock down. Wouldn’t it be easier on us all to stay another week, than to ease the restrictions and risk Covid-19 sneaking back in to grab a hold? Being forced back into Level 4 after easing restrictions would be heartbreaking.

New Zealand has met the virus head on. How wonderful it has been this week to settle in front of the TV for up to date news and hear our new cases remain in single digits. Our economy has suffered terribly, and will continue to do so for a very long time. But locking down our borders and taking responsibility for our health makes perfect sense. How economically strong could a country be without its’ citizens health?

I say, lets continue biding time until we are more certain we’ve conquered this deadly virus.